Austin City Council's delayed soccer vote: What happened there?
Well it was the night soccer fans had been waiting for: Austin finally getting a real shot at a Major League Sports franchise.
"Columbus Crew" owner Anthony Precourt wants to move his team from Ohio to Austin and foot the $200 million bill for a stadium on city-owned land near The Domain.
But by the 11:00 hour that fan elation had turned into disappointment.
Instead of burning the midnight oil Council decided to set soccer aside and finish the discussion at a special-called meeting Wednesday morning.
"But we're encouraged. Tonight showed that a lot of City Council members were wanting to improve the term sheet and oftentimes that means they're in favor of it they just want to improve it," said Precourt Sports Ventures Austin attorney Richard Suttle, Thursday night.
Council Member Jimmy Flannigan chatted with us Friday morning. He's frustrated with this process.
"This will be I think the third or fourth special-called meeting, I can't recall the Council ever doing this in the past. I was ready for an up or down vote, I know the Mayor was ready for an up or down vote," Flannigan said.
Before the "call-it-quits" discussion Thursday night, it was a little bit of a rough ride.
While the Mayor really talked up having Major League Soccer in Austin...
"...a benefit that is not just nice for this community to have, it is a benefit that this community sorely, sorely needs," Adler said.
Others on Council like Ann Kitchen, Leslie Pool and Alison Alter had many concerns about the terms of the deal they were considering.
"We're being asked to negotiate and execute. That means it doesn't come back to us. That means that we have a duty to understand what's in here," Kitchen said.
At one point a man who has frequently spoken against the deal at Council just walked to the front and cursed at Richard Suttle.
Security had a chat with him.
A term that will most likely be heard again on Wednesday: "Poison pill." It's how the Mayor referred to amendments he feels are designed to intentionally kill the whole thing.
"It's time to get this thing finished either 'yes' or 'no' but this constant dragging-out of the process, I think the Mayor was right, I think there are 'poison pills' being presented, there are proposals being offered that some Council Members know are not valid and the math doesn't work and this is entirely a strategy to drag out the process for some unknown political gain," Flannigan said.
Last night when the Mayor asked Suttle if waiting until Wednesday would work, Suttle pointed out that Major League Soccer had already given them an extension to find the team a new home and seemed concerned about asking MLS for another extension to Wednesday.
We did reach out to the MLS about that today and haven't heard back. But Precourt Sports Ventures tell FOX 7 Austin they have spoken to MLS and are "looking forward to Wednesday."